contribute to our brick-and-mortar
The mess has its sights on a space in North Minneapolis to convert into a live music and community space. Now, we’re asking you to help us cross our financial finish line.
who are you?
My name is Caroline Litteken and I am from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I'm queer, I'm a recovering addict and I know I'm closer to 30 than 20 but sometimes, I still feel like a little girl. Ask anyone, I love to dream and I love to see the light in all the darkest shadows.
Professionally, I was an Executive Chef in Southern California with experience in all of that and assisted my restaurant group in new restaurant openings and have over 7 years of managerial experience in and out of the kitchens.
In my personal life, I'm active in my recovery community, I like to ski/swim with my dog, do puzzles and bowl, make music and I get together with my family every Sunday.
what do you believe in?
At the root of everything I do, is a strong desire to make everyone feel safe and at home. I moved overseas as a teenager and the only place I could find comfort was at a tiny alley cafe in Shanghai, China. Whenever the weight of what I was living through was getting the best of me, that's where I went. I was welcomed with open arms, no questions asked (I couldn't speak Chinese anyways) and was brought a basket of French Fries, a Sprite and a Tsingtao beer.
I knew from then on that when the time was right, I'd create a space that made me feel as comfortable as I did there.
When my bandmate and I struggled with booking shows, meeting other bands, and finding a way to get our foot through the door, we had the idea to throw a show in a backyard. It was a success, so we did it again, and again, and again. During those shows, when I'd be running around unlocking the house so people could use the restroom or pretending like I knew how to run sound, I felt that feeling again. That feeling of home, of belonging. It was in those moments, that I knew the time was right and the time was now.
Don't you agree?
Since then, The Mess was founded and has been throwing 3-4 shows a month in the backyard during the warm months. We hosted over 40 unique artists in 2024 and hope to feature at least 100 before the end of the warm season in 2025. We've had over 130 artists submit for the 2025 backyard blend alone and I'd like to get them all on stage. The Mess has and is actively assisting bands get booked at other venues and connect with photographers and producers.
Given the success and growth we've experienced thus far, I'm convinced that with the proper support and funding, the possibilities are endless!
what do you want to do?
• Making music is hard and finding places to book musicians to play music is even harder. The Mess aims to make this hurdle seem more like a small step by being local musicians' biggest fans and providing them with a platform to perform and share their sounds with us.
• With the connections we've built, we plan to function as an incubator for the Twin Cities community by connecting artists with artists. Need a photographer? ___ will be a perfect match. Looking for an audio engineer who will honor your sound? ___ can take care of you.
• There is a need for a space to go to, whenever you need, for whatever you need. The Mess will act as a place to dock, relax, and get to know those on your left and right (if you want).
• I just want to bring people together to show off what they're proud of, feel safe and at home, hopefully both.
For the last year and a half, we have been on the hunt for the perfect space to move The Mess into. The idea is that our space will not only be a place for musicians to perform and for community to gather, but it will also feature an on-site recording studio and practice rooms that are available for twin cities musicians to rent at cost-effective and accessible rates.
In addition to the musical aspects, we hope that it’ll also be a space where 12-step groups, craft groups, or community organizers can get together and grow.
what are you going to do about it?
Are you starting to see the vision?
If so, here’s how you can help us:
You can donate directly here on this page,
you can share it with your friends to spread the word,
and in the meantime you can catch a show.
But, we highly suggest financially contributing in order to support The Mess' vision.